Ramadan/Transcript
Transcript Text reads: The Mysteries of Life with Tim and Moby Tim and Moby go to the Morocco restaurant in the daytime. They sit at a table with food in front of them and Moby's stomach gurgles. MOBY: Beep. TIM: I told you, we have to wait until the sun sets. Tim reads from a typed letter. TIM: Dear Tim and Moby, What is Ramadan and why does it start at a different time every year? From, Janan. We're actually about to have a Ramadan meal with Nadia at her parents' restaurant. Moby attempts to take food off the table. He extends and retracts his arm from the food on the table. TIM: Not yet! Anyway, Janan, Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. It's the most sacred time of year for those who follow the religion of Islam. Around the world, millions of Muslims, or people who follow Islam, observe Ramadan with prayer and fasting. Images show Muslim men and women. MOBY: Beep. TIM: Well, the Islamic calendar is a lunar calendar, which means it's based on the phases of the moon. An image shows an Islamic calendar with July first labeled as Sh'aban and August first labeled as Ramadan. TIM: Each month starts when the first sliver of the crescent moon appears in the sky and ends twenty-eight or twenty-nine days later. Images of the four different phases of the Moon appear beneath the calendar. TIM: The Islamic calendar is just three hundred fifty-four days long. The number three hundred fifty-four appears on the Islamic calendar. TIM: So in our calendar, the Gregorian calendar, Ramadan starts eleven days earlier every year. A man holds up a regular calendar and the equation three hundred sixty-five minus three hundred fifty-four equals eleven appears. MOBY: Beep. TIM: The rules for Ramadan are laid out in the Koran, Islam's holy book. Muslims believe this sacred text was revealed to a man named Muhammad who is considered to be the final messenger of God. An image shows the Koran. TIM: According to tradition, the first revelation came during the month of Ramadan, about one thousand four hundred years ago. That's the main reason it's considered so holy. The best-known Ramadan commandment involves fasting, or not eating. This is called sawm in Arabic. Basically, Muslims are forbidden to eat and drink during daylight hours for the entire month. An animation shows a man sitting at a table reading a book in the daytime. There is an empty glass and plate with a knife and fork on the table. MOBY: Beep. TIM: Right, they can eat when it's dark out. The animation shows the man at the table when it is dark out. He has food on his plate and milk in his glass. TIM: Sick people, senior citizens, young kids, and pregnant women don't have to fast at all, though. Images show the types of people Tim describes. TIM: On a typical day during Ramadan, Muslims get up really early, before the crack of dawn. An animation shows a boy yawning as he sits up in bed before daybreak. TIM: Families eat a special pre-dawn meal together, called suhoor. An image shows the boy eating suhoor with his family. TIM: Once the sun appears, they perform their morning prayers, and the fast begins. An animation shows the sun rising above a mosque. An image shows a group of people praying. TIM: It lasts until the sun sets; Muslims aren't even allowed to drink water until then. The animation shows the sun setting and disappearing. MOBY: Beep. TIM: Yeah, it is really tough. But that's part of the point. During Ramadan, people of the Muslim faith practice discipline and self-control. MOBY: Beep. TIM: Well, as the day goes on, people's bodies keep urging them to eat and drink. They have to use willpower to overcome the temptation. An animation shows a boy tempted by food and drink floating around him. TIM: So the fast is like practice for showing restraint during the rest of the year. An animation shows the boy refusing to get answers to a test while those around him encourage him to cheat. MOBY: Beep. TIM: That's true; Ramadan isn't just about food. Muslims are supposed to avoid all bad practices, from smoking and lying and even gossiping. Images illustrate the bad practices Tim describes. TIM: Charity plays an important role, too. While they're fasting, Muslims give thanks for what they have and consider the hardships and hunger of the less fortunate. An image shows a family dropping a bag of food into a charity's donation bin. TIM: People are encouraged to give as much as they can to charity and do as many good deeds as possible. MOBY: Beep. TIM: Well, spending time with family and friends is also a big part of the holiday. When each day ends, observers of Ramadan gather together for a special meal called iftar. An image shows a family and their friends enjoying a meal while it is dark outside. TIM: That's what we're about to have ourselves. They break their fast with water, milk, and sweet fruits called dates, and then eat dinner together. People in the Morocco restaurant are shown at their tables. Images show water, milk, and dates. TIM: Afterward, they'll often go to a mosque, a place of worship, to hear a portion of the Koran read out loud. An image shows a mosque. MOBY: Beep. TIM: Oh, the end of Ramadan is one of the most joyous times of year for Muslims. It's celebrated as a three-day festival called Eid ul-Fitr. People dress up, exchange gifts, eat special meals, and celebrate, with as many friends and relatives as possible. Images show henna tattoos on hands and arms, a gift being exchanged, food and milk, and fireworks. TIM: And those are just the basics of Ramadan. You can learn more about it at your school or local library. So Moby, I think it's okay for you to eat now. MOBY: Beep. Beep. At the restaurant, Moby is pouring soft-serve ice cream directly into his mouth and holding four ice cream cones while kids wait in line to get ice cream. The young woman sitting next to Tim laughs. TIM: This is so embarrassing. Category:BrainPOP Transcripts